🔗 Share this article I'd Be Salivating Bowling to England - Glenn McGrath Published9 minutes ago 4 Comments For Australia to bounce back and win the opening Ashes Test as decisively as they did, one questions what psychological damage will be left on the England team. What are they going to do for the remaining series? Surprising Comeback I do not think no one expected what happened on the weekend. When you look at the quantity of deliveries taken to finish the game, it was Test cricket on fast forward. England were clearly dominant at the midday break on the following day, leading by 105 runs with nine wickets in hand. The pitch was still doing plenty. It looked extremely difficult for Australia to get back into the match. Shot Selection Woes From that point, England's shot selection was their big undoing. The Australian bowler put in probably his worst performance in an Australia shirt in the first innings, then turned it around in the subsequent innings to be the driving force for the comeback. England's batsmen were out attempting to strike balls wide of off-stump, in the air, towards cover region. Attempting runs off those deliveries, with those strokes, is the one thing you just should avoid as a batter in Australia. Adaptation Issues It showed that England had failed to complete their homework, are unable to adapt or are unwilling to change approach. There is a lot of talk about England's method, their aggressive style. I witnessed it up close during the recent series in the UK. Under their captain and their coach, they can be quite rigid when it comes to sticking with that method. It is acceptable on slow, low pitches. On the quick, lively pitches of Australia it is a method full of danger. If England fail to reconsider, they will struggle for the whole series. Bowling Perspective As a bowler, I would have consistently believed in the contest against this England team. I depended on my accuracy, backing myself to hit the same spot around off stump, with a some bounce and nip. Even if this England team was performing strongly, I'd be eagerly anticipating at the prospect of bowling to them, knowing one mistake could bring multiple wickets. Skill and Resilience There are times when England can be a top-class team. They have good players. Competent cricketers have ability, but great players have the psychological strength and mindset to be adaptable enough for the conditions. They would been shellshocked at the way events developed at Perth Stadium, devastated at the way they were beaten. Now we will see what they are capable of. Even as a loyal Australian, I somewhat wants to see them change, just to show they can improve. Pace Attack Issues It was similar with their pace attack. England's bowling unit was very good on the first evening, then lost direction when they were attacked on the following day. In the longest format, all aspects require a Plan B. Quite often it feels like England have one method, then nowhere to go if that fails. 'Where has this come from?' - The dismissal as England collapse in six balls Head's Masterclass In defense to England's bowlers, they were confronted with one of the memorable Ashes innings by the Australian batsman. His century off 69 deliveries was the second quickest by an Australian batsman in Ashes cricket, 12 balls behind Adam Gilchrist at the Perth ground previously – a match I played in. My old mate Gilchrist said the performance was the better of the two. I agree. Given the difficulty of the wicket and the context of the match circumstances, Head's knock will go down as a highlight of cricket lore. Tactical Moves It was a bold and brave move for Australia to elevate the batsman up the order for the second innings. Usman Khawaja has faced criticism for being unable to open in either innings. He had back spasms after playing golf the previous day the Test, but I don't think the two were connected. When the batsman failed on the opening day, Australia advanced their number three and got bogged down. In moving the aggressive batsman, who has the experience of opening in white-ball cricket, Australia were able to take the attack to England. Upcoming Decisions Now there is the question of what Australia will do for the second Test. I'd like to see them continue the method of aggression at the top of the order. That could mean continuation at the top, meaning someone like Beau Webster comes into the middle order, or Head could go back to his position and the all-rounder or Josh Inglis could go to the top. It would be tough on Khawaja, but occasionally you have to do what the opposition would find most uncomfortable. Tournament Perspective After the first Test was dominated by the bowlers, questions arise if the remaining series will be short, low-scoring Tests. The venue is essentially the fastest, bounciest pitch in the world, so the batsmen should get a some respite from now on. It is not entirely about the wicket. Credit has to be given to the pacemen for getting the ball in the right place so often. Overall, batters on both sides will need to look at how they were dismissed. Crucial Next Test Now we move on to the next venue, and the completely distinct twilight conditions for the second Test. In the historic series, I was a member of the Australia team that overwhelmed England to achieve 5-0. Ashes series in this nation have a tendency of slipping from England rapidly. At the present, England are just one match down. There would be no recovery from two down, which is why the venue is such a crucial game. They need to adjust, or the historic urn will be lost again.